Some Devil
by Jlove00
Summary: DISCONTINUED. AU based on Dan and his son coming back to New York.
1. Prologue

**A/N: I really hate what they've done in Season 6 so far. I don't like what they've done with Dan and Blair. I find it strange watching Blair begging for sex while having Dan completely OOC. For me, I think I was done with the show when Blair basically called Nelly Yuki ugly. That was just uncalled for. I don't know if I will ever continue my fic **_**I want to go back.**_** I just lost my muse for it. I also deleted my other story **_**recovery.**_

**So this doesn't really follow Season 6. Dan and Serena never make up with Blair. This story is basically going to be about Dan and his son coming back to New York. This chapter is the prologue and is Dan's journey leading up to him coming back to New York. I also would like to add that this chapter is kind of raw, but the next chapters will have a slower pace and different tone. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl**

* * *

It's been a year since they had their closure and people still thought he was hung up on her. It made him laugh, he thought people would've gotten the message once he took another shot with Serena. His relationship with Serena was closure as well, he's so over her.

He wasn't there to witness Blair and Chuck's epic marriage at Central Park. He heard Blair was disappointed he didn't attend, but he doesn't understand why she can't comprehend the fact that he doesn't like her. He remembers how pissed she was about the sex tape and expected an apology. To her surprise, it never came, that should've made it clear how he felt about her. It was funny to see pictures of Jack Bass at their wedding. Sometimes he thought it was fake, but then he realized how fucked up the UES really is. If there was one thing he knew for sure, Chuck and Blair's kid was going to be screwed up.

He spent the past year going back to school and getting his bachelors in English. After he graduated, his father threw a graduation party at Lily's. How lucky was his father, he took a break from marriage and fucked a 23 year old for the summer, then got back together with the love of his life after her husband magically died again.

As always, the first place he goes to during these UES parties was the bar. He ordered some scotch and his nose becomes consumed with Chanel No. 5.

"Poor lonely miserable Humphrey sulking at the bar," Blair pouted as she pulled up a seat next to him

"Why are you even here?" Dan furrowed his brows in confusion

"I didn't have much of a choice, seeing as how my husband is your stepbrother," Blair replied

He knows she was just trying to hurt him because that what she does when she's hurt, puts up a wall. He just ignored her and continued to drink as she stared at him waiting to respond. Blair Waldorf might claim Serena was an attention whore, but what she doesn't realize is that she's a hypocrite. Blair loved attention as well, which wasn't a bad thing, lots of girls do.

Dan sighed. "Well, it was nice chatting with you."

Blair watched him walk away like he always did. She really thought she would always have him, but it's been over a year and she lost him. She wondered if he was over her because she wasn't over him. He will always hold a place in her heart, just like Chuck. It's difficult to understand how someone can write such great things about you one minute, then hate you the next. Dan Humphrey just didn't understand that her and Chuck were meant to be, she needed Chuck as much as he needed her. Yes, she lost Dan, but it was worth it, because there was nothing greater than her and Chuck's love.

.

The best thing about being single was that most of his friends were single. He's 22, and ready to meet and greet.

Serena introduced him to Callie, a fun loving blonde whose chest pops out. He starts spending time with Callie and found her to be a bit of a ditz, but god did she have a body to die for. He thought he might as well enjoy the ride, even if it doesn't last long. They date for weeks and the worst part of their relationship was talking. There was no intellectual connection and they had nothing in common. Eventually, he broke up with her, then had break-up sex and knew he couldn't have asked for more from that relationship.

He goes out with Nate and met Mary at a nightclub. They danced, drank, laughed, and shared each other's number. Mary had long silky black hair with an oval face. She was pretty and had a good sense of humor. She seemed like she would be a freak in the sheets, but in the end, it doesn't last once he walked in on her watching softcore porn on her laptop which led him to freak out.

.

His love life wasn't going well, some could say it's in scrambles, but he had to admit they were great stories to share with friends. He realized that he hadn't written a novel since _Inside_ and his agent was growing anxious, so he started working on a draft.

He wrote during the day, and went out with Nate, Serena, and Eric during nights. It actually turned out well for him that Blair and Chuck got married because he didn't have to see them. Serena told him her and Blair still don't speak to each other. Serena hated her for dating him while Blair hated her for sleeping with him. Blair's married, but somehow he's in the middle of their friendship.

There is no one more fun to be single with then Serena. They flirt, fuck, and pretend it doesn't happen the next day. Serena was also his best wing man or woman. She danced with him to make other girls jealous, or just introduced him to girls she had been speaking with at the night club.

.

The summer passes and he was still working on his book. He meets Cindy at an UES party, she had full lips and golden hair that reminded him of the goddess Aphrodite. They dated for months, but it's only for shallow reasons. She was a high maintenance bitch, which meant the sex was great, but she was way too cold and mean for his tasting. Serena, Nate, and Eric hated her instantly. It was always joyful to watch her and Blair in the same room. It's one of the reasons he continued to date her. The problem with Cindy was that she didn't have another side to her, she's just a callous demanding bitch. He dumped her eventually which led him to being kicked in the groin.

.

It's Thanksgiving at Lily's and he's sitting at the Thanksgiving table with the Humphrey's, Bass's, and Van Der Woodsen's.

He met Blair's eyes and they stared at each other for a minute. He could notice how miserable she was, the marriage was waning on her. Her eyes looked dead and she seemed to have lost some weight. He pulled his eyes away and focused on his plate of food.

After dinner, Dan was washing the dishes in the kitchen.

"You'll rinse, I'll wipe," Blair stated standing by doorway of the kitchen

Dan shrugged his shoulders. "Sure."

She stepped closer and took the wet glass from him and began wiping it with her dish towel

"It's hard not to talk to you when we're in the same room," Blair said. He could feel her eyes on him, but he decided it's best to just ignore her. "I don't understand why you're mad at me? I'm just trying to be happy."

"You're not happy," Dan replied and glanced over to meet her eyes. "And this is only the beginning, your maturing and realizing that you that your love wasn't that great in the first place."

"I bet that would make you happy," Blair responded

"No, it would make me sad." He noticed her face beginning to soften. "You really do deserve to be happy and it would make me really sad if you weren't because I've seen what you've been through and what you've given up for him."

_Me_

"Are we ever going to be normal," Blair asked

"I don't think so, I just don't like you very much."

"That makes me sad," Blair whispered

"Am I interrupting," Serena inquired standing by the doorway.

"No, I think your presence is much needed." Dan smiled

.

It's Christmas and he spent it at Lily's penthouse, but unsurprisingly Chuck and Blair were there as well. They passed each other's presents and eventually he received Blair's gift. It's a first edition Great Gatsby which was probably worth around 50,000 dollars.

_She must be really lonely_

"I can't accept this," Dan said and tossed the book back to Blair

The room went quiet, but what did they expect, that there wasn't ever going to be tension. Everyone in this room had burned each other.

Blair met his eyes as she sat across from him on the sofa with Chuck. "I thought you would've loved it."

"I do, but I can't accept this gift, I'm sorry."

"How long are you going to keep this bitter act Humphrey," Chuck asked

"I'm not bitter, I just haven't been much of a friend to Blair, and neither has she, so I don't understand why we should exchange gifts," Dan replied and stands up. "Anyways, I have to get back to the loft, thanks for the invite Lily."

.

Of course, there was no way he would get the last word. He heard Blair knocking on the loft door at midnight. He opened the door and she walked in like she owns the place, chin high.

"Do you know how hard it was for me to find that book," Blair asked as she turned around in her overcoat to face him.

"A long time, and I appreciate you taking the time, but I think you knew I wouldn't accept it," Dan replied

"Well I think you're being very immature. When are you going to get over it?"

"I know I wasn't perfect either, but I myself can't get over what you did."

"If it happened to me, I would be would be upset at first, but eventually, I would still want to be friends, I wouldn't hate you," Blair reasoned

"You never look at it from my perspective." Dan shook his head. "You weren't a good friend to me. Our friendship was always a one sided relationship, and now, what incentive is there for me to try to mend things with you."

Her eyes were full of pain but her posture was strong. "You just don't get it," Blair said softly.

"Well, you are pretty unreadable, that's one of the things I loved about you," Dan teased with a warm smile.

"You really are over me," Blair said in disbelief. "I see it in your eyes."

"That should make you happy," Dan responded

"It should, but it's killing me instead. I'm the one who has to live with the decision. I spend everyday comparing you to him."

"I thought Chuck was going to be the guy for you when you were young and immature, but I was going to be the guy you were going to be with for the rest of your life."

"I think you were right," Blair whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek

"I think I was too, you're my soulmate Blair," Dan added softly looking down. "But you're still in love with him. You really do need professional help because you can't break away from this cycle. It's sick to watch. Divorce is around the corner Blair, you can fight against it as much as you want, but it's going to happen. I hope it's sooner rather than later because you deserve to be happy when you're still young, being single in your 40's is tough."

"Geez, don't hold back Dan," Blair replied wryly

He gave her the cold heart truth because he didn't care if it hurt. It was what she needed to hear.

"Blair," Dan said softly. "You never should have even considered going back to him after the hotel fiasco with his uncle. I'm being honest when I say, you really do need to speak with someone about this."

"Dan," her said with a hint of vulnerability

He watched her step closer to touch his cheek with watery eyes and gave him a long kiss on the lips before leaving. She then opened the door, looked back once, and then left for the dark path she had tried to escape.

.

Winter passes and spring had arrived. He finished his book and went to the bar with Nate to celebrate. His agent loved it and thought it was a potential bestseller. The story was about a con artist who falls in love and begins to change his ways because of it.

They enter a bar and he saw a heart shaped face brunette with deep blue eyes singing on stage. She had the voice of a goddess and the only thing he wanted to know was if this girl was single.

"You alright," Nate asked

Dan looked over and nodded. He then walked towards the bartender. "What's this girl's name?"

"Lauren Barnes," the bartender told him.

.

He was sitting with Eric, Chuck, and Nate while staring at Lauren asking for a bottle of water from the bartender. She was wearing a brown summer dress and he noticed the curves on her body were seamless.

"Are you going to make a move," Nate asked sitting in front of him at the table with Eric by his side.

"No, she probably gets hit on all the time," Dan replied

"Then you don't mind if I do," Nate inquired

Dan chuckled. "Go for it."

"That's Michael Barnes daughter, the CEO of Barnes Construction," Chuck told them

"Dude, you know her?" Nate leaned in and knitted his brows together

"Yeah, she went to boarding school in Connecticut and then went Yale after, she just graduated actually," Chuck explained.

"Call her over," Nate said

Chuck squinted his eyes. "Is it not enough that I'm here drinking with you in this low seedy bar?"

Nate looked over and found an empty seat. "Where's Dan?"

"He left to go talk to Lauren while you were talking to Chuck," Eric explained.

"Son of a bitch," Nate stated

"Hi, I'm Dan," Dan greeted as he approached Lauren at the bar drinking a bottle of mineral water.

Lauren smiled. "Dan Humphrey."

Dan tilted his head. "You know me?"

"We've attended the same fundraisers before, you're Lily's stepson and the author of Inside," Lauren said

"Oh, so you might know some of my friends over there." Dan pointed to the direction of his table.

Lauren looked over. "I know Chuck."

"Come have a drink with us, I mean your sets over right?" Lauren bit her lip and looked to be mulling it over. "As Hemingway once said, _the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them_."

Lauren smiled. "Okay."

It's been a while since a smile had made his heart flutter. It feels exactly like the first time he met Serena. As they sat at the table, he realized she must have felt out of place being surrounded by a bunch of guys.

"Chuck told me you graduated from Yale," Dan said sitting by Lauren's side

Lauren tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded. "Yeah, just last week actually. I majored in English."

Dan licked his lips and smiled. "I'm actually considering getting my masters at Yale."

"Really, that's great. Yale's got an amazing graduate program. I'm actually considering moving to California and singing, hopefully getting signed by a record label," Lauren told him

"So why did you major in English then," Dan asked

"Cause it's easy," Lauren replied and Dan smiled. "You have to admit, it's easier than anything in business or science."

Dan met her eyes and ignored her previous statement. "Your eyes are so unique. Their blue but they have these greenish flecks in them. I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful." Lauren blushed and looked down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

Lauren looked up and met his eyes. "No, you didn't. Thank you," Lauren said quietly

Of course, the moment was ruined with Chuck's whining. He never took Chuck for a whiner, but it seems his marriage was in a rut. During their engagement, the stakes were high, but after getting married at Central Park, they're having trouble becoming accustomed to being in a normal relationship. He wants to laugh because it feels like history was already repeating itself. They've tried before and it didn't work. He will never understand why they thought it would now.

"I don't know what to do, she just doesn't seem happy," Chuck told them.

Listening to Chuck and his problems just caused him to drink more. He didn't care about Chuck's daddy issues and he doesn't care much for his current marital issues.

.

He came home to the loft drunker than usual. After he brushed his teeth and changed clothes, he heard a knock. He stumbled across to the front door and opened it to find Blair standing outside.

Blair lunged onto his lips, kissing him feverishly. They fell back to the bed tearing each other's clothes off, kissing anywhere they saw bare skin.

Everything thing was hazy after they reached the bed.

His eyes fluttered open with someone's arm wrapped around his bare waist. His eyes widened to the realization he slept with Blair last night. He could feel her snuggling against his back.

_You scare me_

_He's scarred me so badly, I'm sorry it took me so long_

_I miss you_

He runs his hands through his hair as he began to remember her words from last night. Everything was hazy, but in the end it didn't matter. He knew he fucked up.

"Dan," Blair murmured against the back of his neck. She began kissing his neck and he still shivered to her the touch of her lips.

Dan swiftly slid off the bed with only a pair of boxers on and faced her. "Blair, what the hell? You're married."

Blair began to prop herself up wrapping the blanket over her curves and rubbing her eyes sleepily. "What?"

"You're a Bass, Blair."

Blair face hardened. "You weren't saying that last night."

"I was drunk, I don't even remember half of it," Dan replied leading Blair's jaw to clench and her nostrils to flare. She slid off the bed and began putting her clothes back on in a hurry. Dan reached out to touch her shoulder.

"Don't touch me," Blair yelled pointing index finger at his face causing him to recoil.

"I'm sorry, I was drunk, it never should've happened," Dan reasoned leading him to be slapped across the face.

"I opened up to you and you're looking at me as some sort of mistake, like I'm some disease," Blair said in disbelief.

"What? No, Blair…"

"Fuck you Dan." A tear rolled down her cheek.

Blair rushed out the door in tears.

_Shit._

Dan put on a pair of gym shorts in a hurry and scrambled out of the loft to follow her. He looked around the street outside his loft and finds her walking alone in tears.

"Blair," Dan called out but she continued to walk, ignoring him. He finally caught up and grabbed a hold of her arm. "You're not being fair right now."

"I'm not being fair! I told you everything Dan! Everything," Blair screamed. "And you can't even remember. Nothing from last night was real. Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"What did you expect was going to happen? You had to of known I was drunk since I was with your husband," Dan reasoned

"I didn't know you were completely trashed," Blair snapped. "And I didn't think you would regret it," Blair said with hurt resonating in her voice.

"Of course I regret it, I can't go back. I can't be the guy who fixes you again," Dan explained standing shirtless in the middle of the street

"I don't need to be fixed!"

"There's a reason why you're all alone," Dan spat back. "I was with Chuck last night, you're both fucked up right now and I don't want to be a part of that, no one does."

Blair shook her head and clenched her jaw, giving him the most hateful look he had ever seen. "I hate you so much. I wish I had never met you and you were dead in some ditch."

She turned around and walked away looking for a cab.

The next day, he discovered she was pregnant and his memory was becoming clearer. It explained why she was so upset. He later found out she wanted to raise the child with him, because it should've been his.

.

Luckily for him, Chuck never found out about his one night with Blair and neither did Lauren. They had a lunch date on the day Blair slapped him and stormed out. He called her after Blair stormed out thinking he needed to get on with his life.

"So where do you live," He asked sitting outside a café in Manhattan

"Upper East Side, and unfortunately, with my parents. I haven't gotten settled since graduation," Lauren told him

"Well the first step to getting settled would be to get a job," Dan teased

"I have a job, it's singing at sketchy bars and meeting guys with curly hair," Lauren replied and Dan smiled. "I read _Inside,_ and I felt like it's ending was unrealistic. To me, Dylan seems like the guy who always gets the girl at the end."

Dan tilted his head. "Well I guess that rings true to a certain extent. I mean he landed his dream girl Sabrina, his best friend Vanessa, and then the actress Claudia. So I'd say he was pretty lucky."

"But he broke up with all of those girls. He clearly gave up on Sabrina and fell in love with Claire. Claire was who he wanted," Lauren told him

"But Dylan wasn't enough for her," Dan explained

"I don't believe that. In my head, she'll realize she made a mistake and come back to him."

Dan smiled. "I'm happy you regard Dylan so highly."

"I just really enjoyed reading his love for Claire, he might have been judgmental, but he was the most unselfish person in the novel," Lauren said. "I was raised in the Upper East Side, so it's kind of refreshing to read that kind of love coming from the UES."

"Hopefully you'll find that kind of love," Dan replied meeting her eyes with a warm smile.

.

Being with Lauren was amazing, she left him breathless after every date. She had this fun loving, wild side to her, but she also had a dark side. She was the type of person who held a grudge. She never forgets any little thing.

Thanksgiving came along and he spent it with the Barnes family. Lauren's father Michael had an old school mentality to him. He disliked the kids today, complaining they were too soft. Michael's company was the largest construction company in New York City. They were the company who built every one of the Bass's real estate properties.

"Are you sure you would rather spend Christmas with my family," Dan asked as he was knotting his tie while looking himself over the mirror.

"Yes, I like your family, they're fun while my family is dull and strict. They don't know how to let loose," Lauren replied applying her make up.

Dan sighed. "You just like Serena."

Lauren and Serena became best friends which didn't please him. Lauren probably knew everything there was to know about his past now.

"And you hate that I like Serena," Lauren said

"Because you both tag team Blair," Dan explained.

"Can you blame us, what she did to you was awful."

"And what Serena did wasn't," Dan retorted. "I just feel like you're doing it because you want to mark your territory."

"Oh please, you're lucky to have me," Lauren scoffed and stood up. She walked across to him. "I just don't like how bitchy she is to you."

"I hurt her badly," Dan told Lauren softly as he could feel her lips on his neck

"And so did she. I'm not going to let her degrade you in front of your family." Lauren wrapped her arm over Dan's neck while she was standing behind him. "I'm sorry I'm so protective over you, but I love you Dan."

"I love you too," Dan said softly

.

It was Christmas, and he was sitting by the large dinner table with the Humphrey, Bass, and Van Der Woodsen clan.

"Daniel, I really enjoyed reading you new novel," Lily said

"Lily, you must be mistaken, that wasn't a novel, it was a biography on Carter Baizen," Blair added with a fake sweet smile. He could notice Lauren looking displeased with the comment, but he held onto her hands tightly, pleading her not to say anything. "So, Lauren, how does your family feel about you dating someone from Brooklyn. It must be sad, I didn't think someone as well renowned as the Barnes family would be linked to a Humphrey." Blair glanced over to Rufus. "No offense Rufus."

"You know what's really sad, someone who goes back to the guy who sold her to his uncle for a hotel." Blair's eyes widened as the sound of silverware dropping was heard. "Yes, I've heard sweety, so the next time you judge my relationship, look at yourself before you speak."

Blair looked horrified as everyone was just in shock. Her being sold for a hotel was being spread around the UES and he knew it was going to come around to Blair at some point. That big of a secret never stays quiet. He felt awful for Blair, no one understood what she was going through. She was pregnant, and practically alone.

Blair spent the rest of the dinner playing with her food, looking lifeless. She eventually got up and left for the bathroom. He followed her and waited for her to leave the bathroom.

Once she left the bathroom and when she spotted him waiting, she rolled her eyes. "What do you want Humphrey?" She folded her arms across her chest, above her pregnant belly.

Dan stepped closer. "I'm so sorry, I didn't tell her."

"I know, "Blair said

"Can I," Dan asked insinuating wanting to touch her stomach. Blair nodded leading him to kneel down and press his ear to her stomach. He then pressed his hand on her stomach and felt the boy kick leading him to smile.

"His name is Henry," Blair told him softly

Dan slowly stood up and cupped her cheek. "I am so sorry Blair. I can't imagine how much you're hurting right now."

Blair sighed in defeat leaning into his touch. "I'm just really tired Dan."

"I know."

"You're the only one who sees it. The only one who cares."

He pulled her into a hug and she melted into his embrace. "Everything is going to be fine, I promise, I'll be here every step of the way."

But he wasn't

.

Less than a month later, Lauren got an offer for a record label in Los Angeles and within a few weeks of the news, he found out she was pregnant. He was happy with the news of her pregnancy because he was planning on proposing anyway

They moved to L.A. where she would start writing her album and he would brainstorm ideas for his new book.

.

He was officially 24 when Ethan Humphrey was born. His looks fell on him but he had his mother's brown locks.

As the years passed, Lauren was becoming a well-known singer while he kept writing bestseller after bestseller. At first, Ethan seemed to be like him, but as the years went by, he grew to be more and more like his mother. Ethan had Dan's brains, but his mother's anger.

"I never used to get into fights in school," Dan said shutting his laptop while sitting on the bed with his back against the headboard.

"Honey, it's a good thing. I want our son to have a backbone," Lauren reasoned sitting on the bed strumming her guitar next to him.

"He's nothing like me. He's athletic, has an attitude problem when it comes to teachers, and is way more outgoing then I was at his age. I mean he laughed at me when I bought him a moleskin," Dan told her

Lauren giggled. "What do you expect, he isn't artistic, writing isn't his thing."

"Then what is his thing," Dan asked

"Girls, sports, and eating," Lauren replied

Dan knitted his brows together. "Isn't he too young to be thinking about girls?"

"Dan, he's in the eighth grade."

"Babe, I'm telling you, he's got this edge to him and it's going to bite him in the ass one day," Dan said.

.

He was 37 when Lauren passed away. He called everyone and told them about the accident. Her memorial was in New York and the worst part was how much the public bothered his family. They had been accustomed to the paparazzi, but it was becoming more difficult to deal with after his wife's death.

His son took it the worst. Ethan was bitter and cold to everyone except him. His son started causing trouble in school and eventually got expelled. It was then he realized they couldn't deal with this alone.

He's 38 when he took his fourteen year old son back to New York.

**So what do you think?**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Their will be two flashbacks and a dream in this chapter and they will be in italics. The two flashbacks are in the same time period.**

**Thank you guys for the reviews, I enjoyed reading them.**

* * *

A year's passed since his mother's funeral and his father was taking them back to New York, which meant only one thing for Ethan, no more surfing. While he loved surfing, he would miss the laid back culture of California most. He had spent his past holidays in New York and it was nothing like California. The kids of the UES were selfish and manipulative. Everyone seemed arrogant and a surname meant everything.

"What's wrong," Dan asked glancing over to Ethan staring out the window of the car.

"Just kissing the sun goodbye," Ethan replied as they sat on the backseat of the car getting driven to the airport.

"That's right, 5 months of winter baby," Dan joked with a smile.

Ethan chuckled and shook his head. "Man, you're corny."

"It's going to be amazing, trust me, especially for you, you'll fit right into St. Jude's. At least a lot better than I did," Dan told him.

"Dad, I've read _Inside_, and I don't want any part in that," Ethan reasoned

"Well your mother's from the UES, so it can't be that bad right?" Ethan pursed his lips and looked down. Dan nudged his shoulder. "Besides, you'll get to spend a lot more time with Sabrina."

Ethan smiled looking over at his father.

There wasn't anyone like his father. No matter how busy his parent's schedule was, his father would always make sure one of them stayed home. Unlike his friends, he never had a nanny. Every fuck up he made, his father was there for him, by his side. His father even attended every football and baseball game he played. They might have had different interests, but his father was still his best friend.

.

"_Just to Clarify, I do think you deserve to be with someone that makes you happy."_

"_Well, coming from someone who dates Vanessa Abrams, it means very little to me. But still, thank you Humphrey," Blair replied folding her arms against her chest as there are people dancing around them at Dorota's wedding. _

_He gestured her to take his hand. "Care to dance," Dan stated with a light smile._

_Blair raised her brows at him first, but hesitantly took his hand and he led her onto the dance floor. He took her right hand and slowly slipped his other around her waist as they slowly began to dance._

"_You don't believe me do you," Dan inquired_

"_You said it yourself, we're meant for each other."_

_Dan stared at Chuck flirting with a girl at the bar. "Well, when I look at him, I see someone just trying to make you jealous. Trying to make you feel like he doesn't need you, but to me, it's pretty obvious he needs you more than you need him. It's pretty bad actually," Dan told her._

"_Why are you being so nice to me," Blair asked _

"_If you haven't noticed, I'm a pretty nice guy," Dan said leading Blair to glare at him as they swayed. "I was in love with Vanessa during my freshman year. At that point in my life, I thought she was it for me."_

"_And then she left you with only your Cabbage Patch doll," Blair replied raising her brows._

_Dan chuckled. "Yup. But then I met Serena, and it was amazing. Then came Olivia which I knew was just fling really. It wasn't going to last. And now, I'm with Vanessa," Dan added._

"_What are you trying to say Humphrey," she asked exasperatedly and looked up to meet his chocolate eyes_

"_Your only 19, there's so much more you have to experience before you actually know who you're going to end up with."_

"_Humphrey, me and Chuck are…"_

"_I remember a brunette sitting on the Met steps dreaming of marrying Nate Archibald," Dan interrupted and smiled. "Weren't you guys meant to be as well?" He raised his brows as they moved together in rhythm. _

_She doesn't know what to say. It's true, at that point in her life, Nate was the only person she could imagine being with. _

"_Trust me Blair, neither of us knows who we're going to end up with. The only thing I know for sure is that Chuck obviously hurt you, and I do recall a pretty miserable senior year." He then leaned in by her ear. "The signs are pointing to another direction, you just don't see it yet." Her eyes softened as she met his eyes. "He's out there Blair, and when you're with him, you will never feel like this."_

Blair eyes opened suddenly and she looked around to find herself in her bedroom covered in her duvet. She hoisted herself up so that her back is against the headboard and began massaging her temple after taking a deep breath.

.

With Nate and Sabrina joining her, Serena stepped into Dan's penthouse and scanned over the complex. She was quite stunned with the design. The ceiling had to of been twenty feet high and everything was white, from the rugs, to the sofa, to the bar, and even the pool table was white. It seemed more like a bachelor's pad then a family home. The walls were large glass windows with white paneling and the floor was made of dark hardwood.

She hadn't seen Dan since the funeral and heard he was having trouble with his son. Looking over to Dan, she noticed he aged well, the wrinkles by the corner of his eyes were slightly noticeable and his hair typically remained parted with gel. Unlike his younger days, Dan's hairstyle was more consistent and he thankfully he had given up on keeping a mop on the top of his head.

Dan spotted them and smiled in his long sleeve grey Henley. "Should I be adding extra plates," Dan inquired as he worked in the kitchen getting ready to cook dinner.

Nate stepped into the kitchen with a bottle of wine. "If you don't mind," Nate said and smirked.

Dan didn't think there was a more stable couple then Serena and Nate in the UES. Nate cared for Serena in a way he couldn't anymore and he was truly happy for her.

Dan glanced over to Sabrina. "Sabrina, you look dressed up, it has nothing to do with my son right," Dan teased leading Sabrina to blush.

"Uncle Dan!" Sabrina yelled in annoyance leading Dan to smirk. "To be clear, it's actually because I'm attending Blair's party later tonight."

"Ethan's in his room. It's upstairs, to left, the doorway with the pull up bar," Dan told Sabrina. He watched Sabrina scurry away up the stairs in her red evening gown. "God she's gorgeous, it's not even right."

Nate punched Dan's shoulder. "Dan! She's fourteen."

"Well she doesn't look fourteen," Dan replied shaking his head.

Serena narrowed her eyes at Dan. "Cool it Humphrey," Serena said then smiled as she pulled a stool by the island.

A brief moment of silence passed and Dan began chopping garlic on the cutting board. "I miss her," Dan whispered staring at the garlic

Nate touched his shoulder. "I know, so do we."

.

"_Babe," Dan called out as he stepped out on to the porch. His eyes widened as he found her smoking from a bowl in her tunic while wearing a hippie headband. "What the hell?"_

_Lauren giggled. "Want some?"_

_Dan looked around. "Where's Ethan?"_

_Lauren handed him the bowl and lighter. "At Cece's beach house."_

_Dan took the lighter and bowl. "I know you have a certain image to withhold for the public, but it doesn't mean you have to make that image into reality."_

_Lauren knitted her eyebrows together. "What's that supposed to mean," Lauren asked sounding defensive_

"_It means take that ridiculous headband off, you're not 25 anymore," Dan replied and emptied out the bowl._

"_Hey," Lauren yelled. _

"_Lauren, you're 35, even though I enjoy this side to you, it's not good for our son," Dan explained and threw her bowl into the ocean. "I'm tired of being the responsible one," Dan added softly._

.

Rolling a joint as Ethan sat on the edge of his bed, he was startled by the knocking on his door.

"Shit," Ethan said to himself as he began scrambling around.

He quickly hid his stash in the dresser, then axed the room and opened the door to find a sunny blue-eyed blonde standing in a red evening gown.

Sabrina watched Ethan flash her a smile in his white designer T-shirt sticking to his lean athletic body. His short wavy chestnut hair was perfectly sculpted with wax and his warm chocolate eyes were alluring.

"Hey," Ethan greeted and stepped away leading Sabrina to enter. His eyes knitted together. "You're dressed up."

There wasn't anyone more innocent then Sabrina Archibald. She was unlike anyone he had ever met. Her mood was always high and she was the nicest person he knew. He doesn't think she had ever spoken badly of anyone, even behind their backs. She reminded him of an angel.

"That's because I'm going to Blair's tonight," Sabrina told him plopping onto the edge of the bed.

"But that's in a couple of hours?"

"Yes, but I'm leaving with you guys," Sabrina explained

Ethan smirked. "So basically your mother wasn't invited."

Sabrina sighed. "She was invited, but she wasn't really invited."

Ethan never met Blair Waldorf or at least he was too young to remember, but he's heard many things about her. His mother had a certain dislike for her and warned him to be careful with anyone associated with the surname Bass or Waldorf.

"Do you know what happened between them," Sabrina asked

Ethan shook his head. "No clue."

_He knows_

.

"I always thought you'd be divorced twice by now," Dan teased Serena with a smirk sitting on the sofa of the living room drinking from the wine that the golden couple had brought over.

"Shove it Humphrey," Serena replied glaring at Dan

Serena was as beautiful as ever, her face matured slightly, but there were very few wrinkles. In contrast, Nate didn't age well, the stress of running for Governor of New York was effecting him since elections were only a few months away. There were tired bags under his eyes and his hair was thinning. Serena on the other hand went back to school and got a degree in English. After working for a few fashion magazines, she eventually created her own fashion blog.

"Your kid's getting pretty tall," Nate said

"Yeah, he's a beast like Lauren's brothers. I mean he's already taller than me," Dan replied after sipping from his wine glass.

He heard his elevator ring and glossed over to find an ivory skinned brunette with sharp features walking into the foyer wearing a black floor length dress.

Dan stood up. "Can I help you?"

"Mr. Humphrey," the brunette greeted walking over and sticking her hand out. Dan tilted his head and raised his brows before taking her hand. "Victoria Blackburn, I'm a friend of Sabrina's."

"So I'm assuming your coming with us to the Waldorf's," Dan inquired

"Yes, if that isn't a problem. My mother's out of town and," Victoria said before being interrupted.

Dan stuck his palm out to stop her from continuing. "It's fine, Sabrina's upstairs in Ethan's room."

"Mr. and Mrs. Archibald," Victoria greeted before leaving for the spiral staircase

Dan turned to Nate and Serena with his hands in his pockets. "You can't be serious."

"My daughter has the same taste in friends," Serena said looking Dan with an amused expression

Dan sat back on the sofa. "So she's really like Blair?"

"Well, Blair was a bitch. Victoria's just pure evil," Nate explained leading him to be slapped in the shoulder by Serena.

"This is a lot of kids to be chaperoning," Dan stated raising his brows

"All you have to do is make sure they get home safe," Serena said

It wasn't dislike or hatred towards each other that led Serena not to attend, it was pride. Dan had witnessed Serena and Blair in the same room before, and they were civil with each other, but their friendship died once the sextape was released.

"I'm surprised you're attending, I never thought you and Blair would be friends again. I recall her being pretty awful to you," Serena added.

Dan scratched the top of his head while his eyes squinted. "Yeah, I would say a lot happened since then. Besides, when Blair's with Chuck, she's like a different person. I don't know who the real Blair is, but what I do know is that I liked her whenever she wasn't dating him."

.

_Leaning his back against the railing of his step-grandmother's deck, Dan lit a cigar and passed the lighter back to Chuck. He stared through the balcony glass door finding the living room to be filled with well-dressed adults enjoying the Fourth of July weekend._

"_So is Blair planning on attending," Dan asked glancing over to Chuck _

_Chuck sloped his cigar over the hoary wooden railing and stared into the ocean. Her name still affected Chuck in some way he couldn't explain. He thought he saw Chuck flinch, or it could just be the hint of cool breeze. _

"_Humphrey, she hasn't attended any of our family's events since the divorce," Chuck told him. _

"_Oh, right," Dan replied looking down. "How is she anyway?"_

_Chuck looked over and smiled. "Good, Waldorf Designs is doing really well and she's even dating again."_

"_So she's happy," Dan asked glancing over_

"_We both are," Chuck said softly_

_They heard someone yell from inside the beach house. Tossing the cigar over the railing, Dan ran into the house and found Henry on the floor soothing his jaw with Ethan standing over holding a smirk. He watched Chuck push and slide through the crowd to reach his son. _

"_What the hell's going on here," Chuck asked sternly helping his son up_

"_I found this asshole making out with Sabrina," Henry explained pointing to Ethan_

"_Yeah, and you attacked me," Ethan added. _

"_She's my girlfriend," Henry yelled_

"_Roll with it," Ethan replied causing Henry to be held back his father_

"_Stop!" Chuck scolded his son. "There's no one else to blame but yourself. It's not Ethan's fault you don't have a grip on your girlfriend."_

_Henry huffed and straightened out his tux before turning around and stepping out of the house through the sliding glass door. _

_Dan tilted his head and gave Lauren a worried look before following Henry out of the house. Rushing out to the beach, he found Henry staring at the ocean, lighting a cigar. _

"_Little Bass," Dan called out, leading Henry to turn around with a cigar in his mouth. Dan took the cigar from his mouth. "Give me the lighter too." _

_Henry grumbled and handed him his lighter. "You really are a buzzkill."_

"_You're not giving me a reason to not tell your mother about this," Dan replied _

"_Sorry," Henry murmured. _

"_You know it's not that bad," Dan said_

_Henry turned to face him and raised his brows. "You're shitting me right?"_

"_You were only dating her for a month, besides, it happens to all of us."_

"_No, it doesn't, I'm a Bass," Henry reasoned. "You saw the way my dad reacted, he's ashamed."_

"_Well, it happened to your mother, so it does happen," Dan said causing a crease to form on Henry's forehead as he looked surprised. "And you're father wasn't ashamed of you, he would never be, he loves you. He was just giving you some tough love because he wants you to become mentally tougher."_

"_He loves me yet you're the one always checking up on me."_

"_That's because he isn't good with words. It's difficult for him to open up, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you," Dan told Henry. "You have no idea how much your father has changed for you." _

"_I'm nothing like him."_

_Dan smirked. "That's not a bad thing."_

_Henry's shoulders slumped and he sighed. "I really liked her," Henry admitted. "I don't understand how she could do that to me."_

"_Kid, she's twelve years old, she has no idea what she's done. But what I can say is that, you have the world in your hands, I don't think anyone has more potential then you. So at the end of the day, it's her loss," Dan said with a warm smile._

_Henry's lip curved slightly as he nodded_

.

With their ankles crossed, sitting on top of the bed facing each other, Ethan spent the past thirty minutes catching up with Sabrina. They would text here and there, maybe a wall post on Facebook, but he made sure to keep his distance because she lived in New York.

"I hope I'm not disturbing," Victoria said entering through the doorway of Ethan's room. She arched a brow and had her hand on her hips as her deep blue eyes scanned over Ethan. "I must admit, you have good taste."

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Ignore her."

"So Ethan Humphrey. What brings you to New York? The news coming from the west had you expelled and being home schooled by your father," Victoria said.

Ethan's brows knitted together looking at her strangely. "Did you look me up online or something?"

"Finding news on the son of a musician and famous author isn't difficult," Victoria said glossing over her nails. "Although, I was disappointed to learn that throwing a stink bomb in the girl's locker room was the reasoning behind your expulsion. I was hoping for something more perilous."

There was something about her he couldn't wrap around his head. She was sharp and arrogant. By the way she spoke, he could tell she was the type of person that used seduction to get her way.

"Do you have a name," Ethan asked meeting her eyes

"Victoria," Victoria replied

.

Ethan had trouble understanding why his father was so comfortable attending Blair Waldorf's party. It was as though they didn't have a past. From reading _Inside_, it was painfully obvious he loved her more than he let on. There would be times where he believed his father loved her more than his mother, but that was something he always tried to block out of his head.

"Do you guys still have the minion thing going on," Dan asked slightly leaning his back forward to look at the girls in the town car as they sat on the other side.

"Sorry Uncle Dan, but I have no idea what you're talking about," Sabrina replied

"Unfortunately, Sabrina doesn't read, but to answer your question, no. Apparently, parents discovered of minions after reading your novel and it led to there being protests at Constance for human rights," Victoria said.

Dan chuckled and fell back to his seat. "Is that really true," Dan inquired

"No Mr. Humphrey, our generation is just more mature than yours was," Victoria explained with a smile.

Ethan glanced over to his father. "You seem to be in a good mood, which is surprising because mom told me you hated going to these types of parties."

"Yeah, these parties tend to be catered towards women, but, as I've aged, I've loosened up to the idea," Dan replied.

Dan recalled dreading attending these types of parties and events when he was younger, but now, they don't seem as dull. It was kind of a good excuse to get drunk and catch up with everyone.

The town car stopped and pulled up to the curb of Blair's penthouse. Dan slid out first and held the door open for all the kids as they slid out of the car. Eventually, they reached the elevator and it was filled with memories of him being anxious before he would reach Blair's foyer.

They elevator slid open and they walked into a crowded foyer of well-dressed adults. Her penthouse seemed to have been renovated. The metal railing of Blair's staircase was replaced with hand crafted wooden railing and he noticed a new shimmering chandelier hanging on the ceiling.

He spotted a joyful Blair walking through the crowd, holding a glass of champagne in her lavender blush shaded silk crepe dress. After hugging Sabrina and Victoria, she beamed at the sight of Ethan.

"You must be Ethan! I haven't seen you since you were this tall," Blair told Ethan using her hands to recall how small he was.

"I wonder why," Ethan said earning a warning look from Dan.

Dan's eyes shifted to Sabrina. "Sabrina, why don't you introduce Ethan to some of your friends."

Sabrina stuck her elbow out. "Come on Ethan."

"Sorry about that," Dan said as he watched the kids leave.

"How've you been," Blair asked meeting his eyes

Talking to Blair was completely different from when they were younger. Her heart softened and there wasn't a wall he would need to fight through.

Dan slyly moved his hand to bare arm, tracing his fingers across her skin. He noticed her swallow nervously and look at him like her eyes were lost.

"You didn't come to her funeral," Dan said as he moved his fingers to a brush strand of hair behind her shoulder with the rest of her pinned hair, knowing she didn't want to exude anything but perfection.

"She didn't like me very much," Blair replied as she kept her eyes on him. "I was doing you a favor."

He looked down gathering oxygen through his nostrils, trying to mask the disappointment. "Thanks I suppose."

With Blair, there would always be pain, but he had just become accustomed to it. He hurt her, she hurt him, it was what they weren't supposed to be.

He felt small delicate fingers playing with his. "I wasn't going to let it happen that way," Blair said softly.

He tilted his chin and raised his eyes to meet hers, knowing the meaning behind every word.

* * *

**I hope this chapter isn't too confusing, especially the end, but I skipped 14 years in the prologue, so a lot had happened in between then and will be better explained through flashbacks. Also, Serena and Nate were already dating when Dan brought Lauren to the Christmas dinner. I just didn't mention it in the prologue. Another thing I want to point out is Henry is older than Sabrina and Ethan, but Ethan and Sabrina are in the same grade level.**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: So everything in italics is a flashback and it's in Blair's POV. This whole chapter is based on Dan and Blair. The next chapter will focus on the other characters.**

**Thank you for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

_Blair has become accustomed to the rigid weather winter brings, where the trees are stripped and New York is at its emptiest. Her days consist of running Waldorf Designs and coming home to her newborn. She always promised herself that she wouldn't be her mother, but she's broken a lot of promises. Like her, Henry will be raised by a paid staff because neither her or Chuck were willing to give up their power._

_On the day of Christmas, she sits alone by the table all the way in the back of the ballroom. Stirring her drink and watching a pregnant Serena dance with Nate in the middle of the dance floor with her wedding dress. She feels her heart drop slightly reliving the past. Serena's officially married and she's just another guest. _

"_Aww, poor Queen B sulking in the corner."_

_She raises her eyes to find a neatly groomed man with curly hair towering over her. He straightens his tux before pulling out a chair and sitting by her. His eyes scan over like the way they would when they were younger. A smile tugs his lips before he takes sip from her drink. He still has the same Brooklyn manners that caused her nose to scrunch. _

_His eyes squint once the gin and tonic reaches his throat._

"_You're awfully quiet," Dan says_

_He left for California with his pregnant fiancé and she hasn't heard from him since. Rufus did tell her he sold the rights to Inside and it was currently in production. _

_He raises his brows and smirks to her silence, pretending like he doesn't really know what's bothering her. _

"_You can still fix it."_

_Fix what? Serena and her brought out the worst in each other. Serena took Nate, and if she had stuck with Dan, Serena would've taken him as well. All that's left is Chuck and that's because Serena finds Chuck repulsive. _

"_Can we talk about something else," Blair asks_

_He slides the cool, sweaty drink back to her and leans back to his chair with a smile. He crosses his legs as he takes her in. She likes the way he looks at her, more than likes if she was being honest. It makes her feel special. _

_Regret_

_Regret was something that would always follow them. They both played a part in destroying something that could've been beautiful. Her heart aches with the memories of how she treated him, but she made a decision and she knew there wasn't any way they could go back. So she pushed him away and convinced herself Chuck was the right choice. She recalls how desperate she was for them to be together and how much pressure there was on her for Waldorf Designs to work out. With Chuck, the question with their relationship would always be if her love would be enough for him._

"_Sure." Dan nods understandingly. Dan then meets her eyes. "I don't know if you heard, but we named our boy Ethan."_

_Ethan Humphrey_

_She looks down and smooth's out her dress. "It's nice… I like it," Blair says softly. She finds a loose curl hanging by her eye. "How long are you staying in New York?" She looks up to meet his eyes and tucks the loose curl behind her ear._

"_3 weeks…Maybe we can catch a movie," Dan inquires looking hopeful. _

"_Maybe"_

.

Ethan's eyes fluttered open to the annoying beeping coming from his alarm clock. It was the first day of school and the sound of laughter was coming from downstairs. He groaned tiredly and shuffled around his bed before stretching and making his way to the bathroom.

He ran some wax through his hair and slid on beige Banana Republic slacks with a white dress shirt before walking down the spiral staircase for breakfast. Reaching the kitchen, his stomach growled to the aroma of waffles filling the room. He began to stagger once his eyes found Blair Waldorf sitting on a stool eating his father's waffles.

"Want some waffles," Dan asked

He pulled out a stool and slid on top of it while looking at his father curiously. His eyes instantly turned to a glowing Blair. "Good morning Miss Waldorf."

"Morning," Blair greeted as her lips curved slightly. "And please, call me Blair."

"Blair here stopped by before work," Dan explained in his white T and black pants as he leaned over their marble island.

They both looked happy and it was a bit infectious. It had been a while since he'd seen his father smile like this.

"So how's the football team at St. Judes," Ethan asked shifting his eyes back and forth between Dan and Blair. He noticed his father and Blair looking at each other amusedly. "What?"

"St. Jude's doesn't have a football team," Dan told him

"But, if you're looking for something to do after school, I recall the soccer team being quite popular with girls," Blair added

"Yes, if you're interested in bitchy, know it all girls, who are only care about status," Dan teased and smiled, leading Blair to square him a glare. "But, speaking as the person who landed Serena Van Der Woodsen in high school, it doesn't matter what sport you play, all that matters is that you're having fun playing it."

Blair pursed her lips and gave Ethan a fake sweet smile while patting his hand with hers lightly. "Ignore you're father. Serena was only interested in him because she was desperate at the time."

"What are you talking about? Nate was begging her to give him a chance," Dan retorted

Blair's finger curled around her fork as she pointed it towards Dan while narrowing her eyes at him. "Don't make me use this Humphrey." Dan recoiled slightly and frowned while his brows displayed a hint of worry.

"Can you guys just give me the low down on what I should be expecting," Ethan asked

"There are three keys to popularity at St. Judes….Status, looks, and intelligence," Dan explained counting with his fingers.

"Yes, and to add to what your father just said, you're a freshman. So everyone is still forming their social circles. What you need to do is separate yourself from the crowd, in other words, you should throw a party," Blair said tersely and then clasped her hands together in excitement. "Oh, and I can help you."

Ethan knitted his brows together. "You would do that?" Blair beamed and nodded

"You really like to make life difficult for me." Dan sighed and met Blair's eyes. "Ethan, there's no way you're holding a party. When I was 14, I was lucky enough to be allowed to attend my father gigs."

"And you wonder why Cedric was your only friend," Blair said with fake sweetness resonating in her voice.

Dan rolled his eyes and glanced at Ethan. "You're not having a party, end of discussion. Now go check the bus schedule online."

Blair gasped. "You're making him take public transportation?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Arrival is key Humphrey. And don't give me that look." Blair then turned to Ethan. "I have a town car waiting downstairs, once you're finished eating, I can drop you off to school while on my way to work."

Ethan smiled. "Thanks."

_He thinks he's beginning to warm up to Blair Waldorf_

_._

_Dan stays in New York for 3 weeks. They have dinner, watch movies, and catch up. He tells her about California and how completely different it is from New York. Everyone is neighborly and friendly if you're living in a place like San Diego, but he lives in L.A. where your friends change every two weeks. _

_She tells him about how her life has become consumed with work. Her only friends are the people she works with but it's difficult to be friends with her employees. She doesn't have time to mingle and greet when she's running a company and has a newborn waiting for her at home. _

_He understands, unlike the others, he was the one person who was able to peer through her soul. She misses drinking coffee with him at the coffee shop in the corner of the street, bantering amongst each other as they walk to it. She loves that stupid grin he gives her when she pokes fun at him or how soft his eyes are when she confides in him about her problems. _

_It's Dan's last night in New York and she takes a day off to spend the whole day with him. Chuck has been fine with her spending time with Dan, which isn't a surprise since he has matured from before. It was actually one of the problems in their relationship. They loved each other's dark side, but now they were left with more mature versions of themselves and that love was slowly fading._

_She's sipping on a martini, watching him order a drink. He seems to be a little tipsy and wonders how Rufus will react to a drunk Dan coming back to the penthouse for his last night in New York. _

"_What do you think they're doing back in the penthouse," Blair asks sitting on the stool_

"_Probably playing charades with Chuck hating every minute of it," Dan replies meeting her eyes. _

_Blair purses her lips and smiles. She lets a brief moment pass before asking, "Are you happy?"_

"_Yeah." Dan shrugs his shoulders. "Are you?"_

"_I'm not miserable."_

_Dan's lips curve slightly. "That's good I suppose."_

"_You know, I never really gave you an explanation of what happened and it's clear you remember nothing from that one night we spent together." Blair turns to point her knees towards him._

_Dan sighs and rolls his head to the side looking annoyed. "You loved him more, there's nothing to talk about."_

"_Maybe." Blair shrugs her shoulders. "To be honest, I don't know if that's true anymore."_

"_I don't understand why you want to talk about this," Dan says with his brows knitting together._

"_Because…Because you've been so good to me these past weeks and I feel like you deserve an explanation." _

_She watches Dan turn pale, it feels like this is the last place he wants to be, but he doesn't say anything so she takes it as a sign to continue. _

"_With Chuck, Nate, and Louis, it was the idea of them I loved. They all had the potential to be a great love story and fit perfectly into my world," Blair explains playing with her hands nervously and avoiding his eyes. "But with you, it was real raw emotion, there wasn't an idea."_

_Dan shakes his head slightly looking confused. "I don't know where you're going with this."_

_Blair raises her eyes and places her hand on top of Dan's. "Me and Chuck were supposed to be this epic love. We both had gone through so much to be with each other. He sold me for a hotel, but it didn't matter because our love was so great, we could overcome it. And then there was you, someone who treated me perfectly and I could see us being together blissfully, but leaving Chuck for you only made us more epic."_

"_I don't know what to say. I mean it just makes you seem crazier than I thought you were," Dan tells her_

_Blair looks down looking embarrassed and slides her hand off of Dan's. "It's just how I felt. I was in love with the idea of our love story."_

_Dan lifts Blair's chin with his index finger. "You telling me this doesn't make me feel any better. It makes me sad because all I ever wanted was to see you happy, to be with someone that makes you happy."_

_She meets his gaze, with her lips quivering and her eyes welling up with emotion. _

"_That's all I want for you too," Blair replies leading Dan to smile_

.

Sitting in Blair's town car, Ethan looked over to Blair and found her to be quite beautiful. He realized his father had the same taste in women and he didn't know how to feel about that.

"Thank you for the ride Blair," Ethan said

"You're welcome."

Ethan knitted his brows together. "So what's the deal with you and my father?"

"Oh, we're just old friends," Blair replied nonchalantly glancing over his nails.

"Good," Ethan responded sounding relieved. "Because he's actually seeing someone and I didn't want it getting awkward."

Blair's eyes widened as she turned her head so fast, that he was surprised it didn't twist off. "Who? Where does she live? Blonde I presume. I bet she jumped him the day of your mother's funeral."

Ethan chuckled. "Oh my god, you're jealous. You so have a crush on my father."

"Did you just lie to me?" Blair narrowed her eyes at Ethan suspiciously. "I can't believe I just got bested by a fourteen year old." Blair shook her head and crossed her arms. "I'm clearly getting old."

"You really are Clair from_ Inside_, it's unbelievable," Ethan said in disbelief

"Yes, well, your father isn't very creative."

"And yet you have the hots for him," Ethan teased as he chuckled. Blair sighed in defeat and looked out the window. "I get it, my father's quite a catch. He came home from your party with a pocket full of numbers if I remember correctly."

"What can I say, the Upper East Side is filled with desperate women," Blair scoffed

There was something about her that was still childish and immature, but it was still humorous. He's seen her outside in the public, and she was nothing like this. Her demeanor was more mature and polite. It made him happy that she was willing to be herself around him because there's nothing worse than somebody fake.

"You know my mother didn't speak very fondly of you," Ethan told Blair

Blair glanced over to him and pressed her lips tightly. "I'm not surprised, we didn't have the best relationship. But, it was only because she was very protective of your father."

Ethan nodded and then looked over to Blair. "I approve by the way."

"Approve of what," Blair inquired

"For my father, I think you can make him happy," Ethan said and gave her a warm smile

"Thank you. Although I'm surprised you feel that way, I thought you would hate me." Blair pursed her lips and slightly shook her head.

"How come I haven't seen you since I was like 3," Ethan asked looking at her curiously. "I understand I never saw you after your divorce, but you divorced Uncle Chuck when I was 6."

"Your father stopped coming to New York," Blair explained

"Why?"

It was the first time he seemed to have caught her off guard. There was a mixture of pain and sadness in her eyes.

Her eyes went to the fingers on her lap. "I don't know, you would have to ask your father."

.

_It's raining and she can see the droplets on the windows of her townhouse. Unlocking the front door, they enter her foyer, dripping with water from the rain. Her blouse is ruined and Dan's T-shirt is sticking to his body._

_Dan's been visiting New York every winter and summer for the past three years and it's become her favorite seasons. They were left in her townhouse alone since Chuck's on a business trip and like Ethan, Henry was with Lily. _

"_Do you have a dry towel," Dan asks as he stands in her foyer_

_Before she can respond, he catches her staring at his chest. She raises her eyes to meet his and finds them on her lips. It's like it hits him instantly and his eyes become darker with each step. She tries to back away but her back finally reaches the Paris blue wall and he's only standing inches away._

_For the past three years, there has been this built up tension between them, and the longer he's away, the more she misses him. They both knew they were playing a dangerous game by spending time with each other._

_He places his right hand on the wall by her ear and leans in to where she can feel him breathing on her lips. With his weight on his right hand, she can notice his bicep flexing as water trickles down his arm. She's having trouble catching her breath as she feels her chest pressed against his. Her eyes are fighting against her, she wants to look away, but they stay in the same place, stuck on those warm brown eyes. _

"_You broke me and I became so dark because of you. I hated you for it." Dan takes momentary breath before shaking his head. "But you keep reeling me back in. It's impossible for me not to fall for you," Dan says softly_

"_It's hard for me too," Blair whispers cupping his wet cheek with her hand_

_She feels his hands slide under her bare thighs to hoist her up against the wall. "I want you so much," Dan tells her softly leaning his head against hers while her ankles lock against his waist. "It's so painful not being able to touch you."_

_He leans his forehead against her shoulder. "I love you," Blair says softly and places a soft kiss on his neck. She begins to rock against him, trying to create friction to where she needs it most. He pulls away and meets her eyes. He looks to be fighting with himself. The hesitation makes her realize it's over. They crossed the line and destroyed their friendship._

"_I don't think I can see you anymore." Her heart begins to crumble once she feels him gently place her down to the floor. He then reaches for her cheek with his hand. "You are the epitome of nostalgic Blair Waldorf." _

_With that, he steps back, leaving the back of her head pressed against the wall. There is so much pain in his eyes and she can feel it coerce through her body. She's never wanted to cry this much, but she fights the tears because she knows he won't be able to leave if she breaks down in front of him. _

_She's finally able to breathe once he heads out of the townhouse, without a word and with her heart, leaving her to shed her tears for no one to hear. _


End file.
